Drilling machine



May 28-, 1935. F. W. HM, ,0 ,07 v

DRILLING MACHINE v Original Fil'ed Feb. 2. 1921 4 she ts-sheep 1 INVENTOR. A714 ///1.0

May 1935- F. w. HILD 2,003,079

DRILLING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1- BY i I ATTORNEY.

y 8,1935. F.- w. HILD ,0

DRILLING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2. 1921' 4 Sheets-Sheet 5- Eff/771.0.

.May 28', 1935. F.- w. HILD I A 0 DRILLING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2. 1921 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 AIIUKIVILX.

Patented May 28, was

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE Frederick W. Hild, Denver, Colo. Application February 2, 1921, Serial No. 441,768

Renewed January 15, 1926 24 Claims. (01. 255-22) This invention relates to drilling machines and more particularly to machines of the type used for sinking wells by the rotary movement of a longitudinally advancing cutting tool.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for supporting the weight of a drill tool of the machine, of the above described character, by a body of fluid under pressure, and a further object is to employ variations in said pressure, due to changes in the weight .of the tool or to a varying resistance tothe operative movement of the same, to indicate, and record, if necessary, the conditions under which the drill tool is operating and to automatically regulate the feeding movement of the tool proportionate to changes in its weight and to variations in the resistance it encounters.

With the above and other objects in view,-all

of which will be fully disclosed in the course of the following description, my invention consists in'an arrangement and combination of cooperating parts an illustrative embodiment of which has been shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings in the several views of which similar parts are correspondingly designated,

Figure 1 represents a sideelevation partially in section of a drilling machine constructed in accordance with my invention and. equipped with a differential feed apparatus .of the character shown and described in application for patent No. 430,940, filed December 15, 1920, now matured into Patent No. 1,808,221, dated June 2, 1931;

Figure 2, an enlarged sectional elevation of the feed mechanism and tool supporting element of the machine;

Figure 3, a diagrammatic representation of the connections employed in the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2 to indicate variations in the pressure upon a fluid-body by which the drilling tool is supported and to regulate the'advance' of the drill tool in accordance therewith;

Figure 4, a sectional. elevation of a drilling machine to which ,my invention is applied, in which the movement of the drill tool is controlled by a brake acting upon a. winding drum, and

Figure 5, a diagrammatic view of a means employed to automatically control the action of the brake by variations in the pressure upon the fluid body by which the drill-tool is supported.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral 2 designates the derrick of an oilwell which supports the drilling mechanism employed for its production.

A crown block at the top of the derrick, not

shown in the drawings, supports a multiple tackle 3 from which the drill tool is suspended, the pull rope I ofthe tackle being as usual connected with the winding drum of a hoist 5 installed at the foot of the derrick in operative connection with an electric motor 6.

The cutting tool of the machine is composed of a drill bit 1 at the end of a pipe 8 which as usual is coupled to a grief stem 9 at the lower extremity thereof.

The grief stem has a swiveled head I70 pro- 'vided with a clevis for its connection with the tackle and the head is connected to a conveniently located source of water supply by means of valve-controlled pipes l2 and flexible hoseconnections l3. v

The grief stem is rotated and longitudinally advanced to the work engaged by the cutting tool at, its lower end, by an association of cooperating elements similar to that disclosed in my application for patent hereinbefore referred to.

A worm-wheel I4 connected for conjunctive rotation with the grief stem through the medium of a flanged collar I5 is rotatably supported upon a fixed bearing l6 and engages with a worm I! on the shaft of an electric-motor l8.

The rotative connection of the worm. wheel with the grief stem is effected through the medium of one or more ribs in the bore of the collar of the wheel, which loosely fit in grooves of the stem and permit of a free longitudinal movement of the rotary drill tool.

The lengthwise movement of the rotary grief stem by which the cutting tool is advanced to the work, is produced by rotation of a nut H! at a velocity differential to that of the above-mentioned worm-wheel which effects the rotary movement of the tool.

The nut is mounted for rotation upon an elevated table through the medium of a roller bearing 2| and its impellent relation to the grief stem is established by a screw-thread 22 formed upon the'exterior surface thereof.

A worm-wheel 23' on, the rotary nut meshes with a worm 24 on the shaft of a second electric motor 25 which also is mounted on the table which supports the nut. v

-In the construction shown in the drawings, the supporting table is connected in superposed relation to an annular piston 26by two or more rods 21. The piston is slidably fitted in a correspondingly formed cylinder 28 which is supported upon a suitable foundation 29, and its rods extend through hollowupright columns 30 which are erected on a plate 3| covering the top of the cylinder and which are connected at their upper ends by a hollow head 32 in which the table is guided for vertical reciprocation.

The piston which is in fluid-tight engagement with the walls of the cylinder through the medium at expansible rings seated in grooves in its inner and outer circumferential surfaces, is supported upon a body of .liquid 83 which is subjected -to an elastic fluid pressure obtained through the medium of a conduit 55 from a suitable source of supply 56. A check-valve 34 in the conduit restricts the return flow of 'the pressure fluid when the liquid in the cylinder is subjected to an oppgsing pressure. The fluid generally used is water or a non-freezing fluid such as alcohol, or water with a non-freezing mixture for very cold climates.

When in the operation of the machine, the

weight of the tool connected to the piston is increased by additional lengths of pipe, or other causes, or the resistance to the operative movement of the same is diminished, the consequent increased pressure upon the liquid body will increase the density of the pressure fluid acting in opposition to said pressure, while in the event of an increase in the resistance to the operation of. the tool, the pressure exerted upon the liquid through the medium of the piston is diminished with the result that the spring pressing upon the liquid is correspondingly expanded.

The variations in the fluid-pressure are employed to apprise the operator of the conditions under which the tool is operating, through the medium of' a suitable indicatory instrument, such as a pressure gauge, connected to the conduit through which the pressure fluid is supplied to the cylinder, and the stress on the drill tool and the parts of the operating mechanism with which it is connected, may be regulated by the operator through the proper adjustment of a regulating valve. 1

In this connection it will be understood without further illustration that the pressure gage may be associated with any suitable recording hearing, its principal function is to automatically regulate the feeding action of the tool proportionate to changes in its weight or variations in the resistance it encounters.

In the machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and hereinabove described, the drill tool rotated by the motor I8 is under normal conditions moved lengthwise at a predetermined rate by a relatively differential movement of the feed nut which is actuated by the motor 25.

It will be apparent that by changin the relative velocities of the two motors the feed of the drill toolis readily regulated in accordance with variations in its weight or in the resistance to its operative movement, and this is automatically accomplished in the operation of the present invention through the medium of the liquid body by which the drill tool is supported, and a suitable controlling mechanismcapable of being q I inthefluidpressurcupon embodiment of my invenby a varying resistance to the current flow, for

the purpose of regulating the feeding action of the drill tool in ratio to variations in the weight of the tool or the resistance it encounters.

To automatically produce said resistance variations through the influence of variations in the pressure on the body of liquid by which the drill tool is supported, I employ in connection with the contact member ll of the rheostat, a

regulator such as that designated by the reference numeral 42.

A piston 43 fitted for reciprocation in a fluidmeans'oi a conduit 46 to which the above-described indicator 35 and valve 38 are applied, and the pressure of the liquid upon the piston 43 is under normal conditions balanced by the pressure of a spring 41 engaging the opposite side ofthe same.

It will be understood that when by reason oi. an increase in the resistance to the operative movement of the drill tool, the pressure exerted by the weight of the tool upon the liquid body is proportionately decreased, the expansion of the fluid pressing upon said body will correspondingly reducethe pressure upon the piston working in the cylinder 44.

The piston consequently actuated by the overbalancing pressure of the spring, operates the contact member of the rheostat, with the result that the resistance to the current flow. in the circuit of the motor 25 is increased and the velocity of the motor is correspondingly reduced.

The variation in the movement of the motor is communicated to the grief stem through the medium of the'feed nut and the change in the relative movements of the two motors operates to diminish the longitudinal movement of the drill toolin proportion tothe variation in the resistance to its forward movement.

The above described operation is reversed when the resistance to the movement of the tool is lessened or the weight of the tool is increased by additional lengths of pipe, and it will thus be seen that by the use of my invention the stress on the drill tool is automatically maintained within predetermined limits and that the many accidents and detrimental conditions directly due to changes in said' stress in drilling machines of the ordinary type at present in common use, are eifectively avoided.

The application of my invention to a drilling machine in which the longitudinal movement of the drill tool is controlled by the action of a brake upon a winding drum which holds the rope of the tackle from which the tool is suspended, is illustrated in Figures 4.and 5.

The drill tool it rotated as before by the action of .the electric motor i8 upon the worm wheel I4, is suspended from the multiple tackle 3, the

' rope 4 of which is wound upon the winding drum 5 of the Windlass operated by the motor 8, while a second rope 48 is connected to a piston 49 moving in a fluid-tight cylinder. 50. The rope 4 after passing about the pulleys on the-crown block generally has an end thereof anchored to the crown block. In this case, however, instead of anchoring an end thereof it is passed'downwardly, this portion of the rope being designated 48, with the rope 48 associated with the piston 49.

The movement of the drum is controlled by a band-brake 52 one end of which is fixed as at 53, while its other end is connected with the automatic regulator which for illustrative purposes has been shown of the same type as that employed in the system hereinbefore described.

The cylinder 50 contains at one side of its piston 49 a body of liquid 54 which as before is subjected to a fluid pressure obtained from a suitable source of supply through the medium of a conduit 6|. The regulator 42 consists, as in the flrstdescribed construction, of a piston working in a cylinder whichat one side thereof is connected with the fluid body in the other cylinder by the conduit 45.

A spring pressing on the opposite side of the piston normally balances the fluid pressure and the rod. 59 to which the piston is attached is through the medium of a bell crank 60 operatively connected with the free end of the brake band.

The pressure gauge and the pressure regulating valve are applied as before to the conduit connecting the two cylinders, for the purposes hereinbefore described.

It will be readily seen that in the operation of the drilling machine, the movement-retarding action of the brake-band upon the winding drum is varied in proportion to variations in the pressure upon the liquid body in the cylinder 49 which in turn are regulated by variations in the weight of the drill-tool or in the resistance to the operative movement of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I desire it understood that many variations in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from its scope as defined in the hereunto appended claims:

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is:

11"A drilling machine comprising a tool supported by fluid under pressure, means for rotatably actuating said tooLmeans for longitudinally actuating said tool by a movement diiferential to that of the first-named means, and means for varying he relative velocities of said actuating means in accordance with va1 rations in said fluid pressure.

2. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, a fluid body under pressure sustaining the weight thereof, a feed element acting upon the tool, and

means actuated by variations in said fluid pres-' 4. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, an element for its rotation, a feed element acting upon the drill tool to advance it by a movement differential to that of the flrst element, a fluid body under pressure sustaining the weight of the drill tool, and means for varying the relative velocities of said elements by variations in said fluid pres-.

sure.

5. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, an element for its rotation including a motor, a feedelement acting upon the drill tool to advance it by a movement differential to that of the flrst element and including a second motor, a body of .drill tool to advance it to the work by a movement differential to that of the flrst element and including a second electric motor, circuits for said motors, and means for varying the relative velocities of said motors by variations in said fluid pressure.

r '7. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, an element for its rotation, including a motor, a rotary nut having a screw connection with the drill tool, a second motor for rotation of the nut, a body of fluid under pressure upon which the nut is supported, and means for varying the relative velocities of said motors by variations in said fluid pressure.

8. In a drilling machine, a rotary drill tool, a rotary feed nut having a screw connection therewith, a body of fluid under pressure upon which the nut is supported, and means for regulating 'the movement of the nut by, variations in said fluid pressure.

9. In a drilling machine, a rotary drill-tool, a rotary feed nut having a screw connection therewith, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, connected with the nut, a body of fluid under pressure acting upon the piston, and means for regulating the movement of the nut by variations in said fluid pressure. a

10. In a well drilling organization having a drill string at the lower end thereof, a cable supporting the string, said cable being under a tension determined by the weight of the string and the character of earth formation upon which the drill'tool is acting, and means whereby variation in the tension of said drill-string supporting cable, as produced by variation in the load sustainingqualitiesof the earth formation upon which the drill tool is acting, will act to automatically adjust the cable and the drill string to maintain a substantially uniform pressure of the drill tool against the earth formation upon which it is acting.

11. In a well drilling organization a drill string, a cable providilng a determined partial support for the string, winding means on to which said cable is wound, means holding said winding means inoperative when the cable is supporting the determined proportion of weight of the drill string, and acting automatically and positively to operate when. the proportion of weight supported by the'cable varies from the'determined proportion to re-establish said proportion whereby a substantially constant pressure of the boring tool of the drill string upon the earth formation will be maintained.

12. In a well drilling organization a drill string, a cable providing a determined partial support for the string, winding means on to which said cable is wound, means holding said winding means inoperative when the cable is supporting the determined proportion of weight of the drill string, and acting to automatically release and operate when the proportion of weight supported by the cable varies from the determined proportion to re-establish said proportion whereby a substantially constant pressure of the boring 'tool of the drill-string upon the earth formation will be maintained.

13. In a well-drilling .drill string at the lower end thereof, a cable supporting the string, said cable being under a tension determined by the weight of the string and the character of formation upon which the drill tool is acting, and means whereby variations in the tension of said cable during operation thereof will act to automatically adjust the cable and the drill string to maintain a substantially constant weight upon the particular formation being drilled.

. 14. In a well-drilling organization, a drill will be maintained.

15. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, means containing a fluid body under pressure, said pressure resulting from sustaining a portion of the weight of the drill tool by the fluid, a feed element acting upon the tool, and means actuated by the fluid under pressure to control the operation of the feed element.

16. In a drilling machine, the combination of means containing a fluid body under pressure, a rotary drill tool partially supported by said fluid, and means for regulating the force exerted by ,the drill upon its work in response to the pressure within the fluid body.

17. In a drilling machine, a rotary and longi-' tudinally-movable drill tool, means containing a fluid body under pressure for sustaining a portion of the weight of the tool by the fluid, and means for permitting longitudinal movement of the tool at a rate substantially inversely pro.- portional to the pressure in the fluid body.

organization having a 18. A drilling machine, in combination, a receptacle containing a fluid-body under pressure,

19. In a drilling machine, the combination of a receptacle containing a fluid-body under pressure, a rotary drill tool, a portion of the weight of said tool being supported'by said fluid-body.- and means actuated by the pressure of the fluid for controlling the feeding of the drill tool.

20. In combination with a drilling rig includ-v ing drilling tools, means supporting said drilling tools, and means for adjusting said supporting m eans to effect 'feedingof said drilling tools, a

regulator comprising means operatively connected to said supporting means and adapted to operate said adjusting means, said operating means being actuated when the load on said supporting means exceeds a predetermined value.

21. In a drilling machine, a drill tool, a fluid body under pressure sustaining a variable proportion of the weight thereof, a feed element acting on the tool, and automatically operable means actuated by variations in said fluid pressure to automatically controlthe operation of said element.

22. In a well-drilling organization having a drill string at the lower end thereof; a cable supporting the string, said cable being under a tension determined by the weight of the string and the character'of formation upon which the drill tool is acting, and means whereby the tension in said cable during operation thereof will act on the drill string to maintain a substantially constant rate of feed of the drill string upon the particular formation being drilled.

23. A well-drilling organization comprising a drill tool, a fluid body sustaining under pressure a variable portion of the weight thereof, feeding means for said tool controlled by said pressure, and means independent of said weight for controlling the flow of said fluid body induced by said pressure to thereby control the rate of operation of said feeding means.

24. A well-drilling organization comprising a drill tool, a fluid body sustaining under pressure a variable portion of the weight thereof, feeding ing means for said tool controlled by said pressure, and means comprising valve means for controlling the flow of said fluid body induced by said pressure to thereby control the rate of operation of said feeding means.

FREDERICK W. HILD. 

